Electric light socket



Oct. 19,1948. H. LAGIN 2,451,680

ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET Filed Dec. 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

HERBERT LAG/N Filed Dec. 1, 1945 0a, 19,- 1948. H. LAGIN 2,451,680

ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 19, 1948 UNITED STATE S PATENT OFFICE The present invention relates to electric light sockets and more particularly to the type used in the assembly of electric lamps and light fixtures of all types.

In my co-pending application Ser. No. 618,864, filed September 27, 1945, for Electric light socket, now Patent No. 2,427,464, issued September 6, 1947, I have described and illustrated a socket of the same general type but in which the housing comprises three separate parts and in which no provision is made to hold the prongs against inadvertent removal.

The present invention contemplates in general a safety socket of the same general type and having the same general objects as is disclosed in my said co-pending application but in which the socket housing comprises only two parts, a sleeve and a cap member therefor, that interflt.

The present invention further contemplates a socket having p'rongs which. are formed so as to hold the electric wires together in proper operative association and which prongs are so constructed that they cooperate with the housing so that they are caught thereby to prevent the inadvertent separation of the cap from the sleeve.

The present invention still further contemplates the provision of a push-pull switch that cooperates with the prongs in a novel manner.

The present invention still further contemplates the provision of such a socket adapted for use with a switch by means of which anyone of three selected light intensities, for example, 50 wattsylOO watts and 150 watts, may be utilized.

These, other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be clear from the description which follows and the drawings appended thereto in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a socket embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-, of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a partial section on the line 6-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of my electric socket;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the snap on and off switch illustrated in Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of a further modified form of my electric socket;

I Fig. 11 is a section on the line ll| l of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a side view of one of the parts, com- 5 Claims. (0!. 20051.16)

prising the switch means of the modification illustrated in Fig. 10.

Throughout the different figures illustrating various modifications of my invention I have used the same reference characters to indicate like elements of construction for each modification.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, the lamp socket l0, according to the present invention, essentially comprises the cap I! and the sleeve I4, which are each preferably made from a heat resisting thermosetting plastic which is an electrical insulator and which may be cast or molded therefrom or formed by well known conventional methods. I

The skirt H, which is internally threaded at l6 to receive therein a conventional bulb or lamp (the upper metallic base I! of which is indicated by broken lines), tightly fits and is frictionally held in the recess I8 of the cap l2, which latter is provided with the internally threaded opening 20 through which the light cable 2| extends.

The opening 20 is threaded to receive, if desired a conventional cable protecting union (not illustrated) in the collar 22.

Secured to the interior of the skirt H, as by the rivets or screws 24, I provide the insulating washer 26 which fits into a corresponding recess cable 2| is inserted in the opening 23 and one formed by the shoulders 28 in the interior of the skirt l4 and which washer separates the switch mechanism compartment 30' from the lamp receiving compartment 32.

Extending down from the underside of the cap l2 and secured thereto as by the screws 34 and 36, the heads of which are positioned in the recess l8 above the top of the skirt I4, I provide wire retainingprongs which are formed from a resilient electric conducting material, bent over upon itself to form the spaced elements 38 and Ill and 42 and 46.

To assemble the cap l2 on the skirt I4, the

wire 46 thereof slipped into the space between the prong elements 36 and 40 and the other wire 48 thereof inserted'in the space between the elements 4'2 and 44. The prong elements are thus forced' apart by the wire, which is held therebetween by the tension of the prong elements. The skirt I4 is forced into the recess l8 of the cap 12, the collar 50 being resiliently thereby pressed slightly outward, the prongs with the wire held therebetween entering the skirt through the corresponding openings 52 and 54 in the top wall 56 of the skirt.

The elements 38 and 40 are thus pressed against the wire 46 and the elements 42 and 44 against the wire 48 by the channel walls formed in the skirt so that the wires cannot be loosened and separated from contact with the prongs.

In order to catch the prongs so that they cannot be removed and the cap it inadvertently separated from the skirt I4, I punch out from the prong element 38,=the locking catch member 58 and from the prong element 04, the locking catch member 60.

Since the prongs are formed from a sufi'iciently resilient material, these locking catch members will be forced inward by the walls 02 and 69 to spring under the shoulders 59 and 08 when they pass them upon forcing the skirt it into the cap 52. Thus, a locking means is provided which prevents inadvertent separation of the housing members.

There is thus provided a very simple means for securing the wires in operative contact with the prongs and the components of the socket together that lends itself peculiarly to production methods of assembly since it eliminates sleeve are assembledas previously described.

The prong 52 and 44 is of such length that it will extend into the chamber 32 so that it will be contacted by the outer part of the metallic base I9 of the lamp when it is screwed into the socket. An elongated opening I0 is provided in the washer 26 to permit the end of the longer prong to pass into the chamber 82.

The center of the washer 26 has riveted thereto the terminal 12 which is positioned on the underside of the washer to form a contact with the central terminal on the lamp base I9. Se-=' cured to the washer on the upper side thereof, I provide the resilient electric conducting switch member 74, the resilient arm 16 of which is normally tensioned out of contact with the prong element 40 as illustrated by the unbroken lines of Fig. 3.

In order to provide means for opening and closing the lamp circuit which is made through the wire 46, the prong element 40, the resilient arm 16, the terminal 12, the lamp, prong element 44 and wire 48, I arrange in the recess 18 which communicates with the opening, the shaft 80 which is journaled in the walls 82 and 84.

On one end of the shaft 80, on the exterior of the skirt I4, I mount the knob or button 99, which therefore constitutes a switch handle and which is knurled to readily turn the switch handle and intermediate the journal walls 92 and 84, I secure the switch closing member 88, which latter engages the resilient arm 16 to force it into contact with the prong element 40 and thus close the 'circuit through the lamp, as illustrated by the broken lines of Fig. 3.

Upon bringing the member 88 out of engagement with the resilient arm 16, the latter resiliently springs away from the prong element 40 to open the switch.

The shaft 80, the walls 82 and 84, the knob or button 86 and the switch closing member 08 are all formed from an electric now-conducting material. f

In order to permit separation of the cap I! from the skirt l 4, which are held together against I screws or soldering but yet provides a socket, the

separation, as described by the locking catches 59 and 60, which are held against the shoulders 69 and 68, I make the opening 10 somewhat wider than necessary to accommodate the prong members 42 and 44 and in alignment with the locking catch 58 immediately thereunder I provide another opening 90.

Thus a double pronged tool may be inserted in the openings 30 and whereupon the locking catches 58 and 00 will be forced from under the shoulders 69 and 68 out of engagement therewith to thereby permit the cap I2 to be separated from the skirt I4.

If desired the lower end of the skirt It may be threaded as at 92 in order that a lamp shade or the like may be mounted on the socket.

Referring now to Figs. 7, 8 and 9, I have there illustrated a lamp socket according to my invention in which a different and novel switch means of the push pull type is used. It will be unnecessary to describe the construction of the socketv as it is the same as that just described, with reference to Figs. 1 to 6, it being necessary only to direct attention to the change in the switch means.

The switch is illustrated in the oil. position in Fig. 8 with the resilient arm 79 tensioned away from the prong member 40 and so out of engagement with it. To close the switch the sliding member 94, at each end of which is a button 96 and 99, is pushed into the skirt l4 so that the button 96 is against the skirt and the button 98 away from the skirt.

The skirt I4 is recessed at I00 and opened at each side to accommodate the sliding member 94.

Extending from one side of the sliding member 94 I provide the rounded or curved contact member I02, made from a non-conducting material, which is brought into engagement with the resilient arm 16 to force it into contact with the prong element 40 and so close the switch.

In order to limit the off and on positions of the sliding member 94, I provide on the other side thereof the notches I04 and I06, In which the beveled end of the spring I00 is brought home by its tension when a notch is positioned thereat. Thus when the sliding member 94 is pushed into the closed position the notch I06 is freed of the beveled end of the spring I08, which permits the member. 94 to slide along it until the beveled end is brought home into the notch I04 thereby fixing the switch on position. To open the switch the sliding member is pushed in the opposite direction whereupon the beveled end of the spring leaves the notch I04 and is brought home in the notch I06, the contact member I02 concurrently being brought out of engagement with the resilient arm 16 which springs away from the prong member 40 to open the circuit.

In order to retain the sliding member 94 against movement toward and away from the cap I2, I provide a slot in the member 94 in which the T member I I0 is positioned with the head H2 resting on the sliding member. The ledge or wall I I4 is provided with the recess H6 in which the T member H0 may be reciprocated and which also acts as a stop limit to fix the on and off switch positions.

The member 94 may be made from any suitable material such as metal, fiber or plastic of any suitable shape as round, square or rectangular in cross section, with one or both ends molded on the push button or threaded and screwed thereon.

Referring now to Figs. 10 to 12, I have there illustrated a socket according to my invention which may be used with a special lamp such as the General Electric Three-Lite" lamp. Such a lamp is composed of two filaments and internally wired so that current passing through one filament will provide a 50 watt light, current passing through another filament will provide a 100 wattlight and current concurrently passing .through both filaments'will provide a 150 watt circuit is made through the wire 4|, the pron! 30 and 40, terminal I24, switch contacts I and III, the corresponding filament, the terminal I.

switch contacts I40 and I, contact I20. the metallic base wall of the lamp and the prong 42 and 44 to the wire 40. The other filament is illuminatedin the same way except that one side lamp. Of course other sizes of lamps may be used to provide a lamp having three different intensities that correspond to the particular filaments provided.

The switch by means of which either one of the filaments or both are connected in the circuit is conventional and only so much thereofasis required for an understanding of the construcinvention need be illustrated and described.

The socket illustrated in Figs. 11 to 12 comprises the cap I2, which frictionally fits on the skirt I4. Secured to the cap as by the screws 34 and 36, I provide the prongs formed by the resilient prong the contact I thereby opening the circuit tion required to modify it in accordance with my elements 38 and 40 and the prong elements 42 and 44. These prong elements have the extending locking catches 58 and 60, which engage the shoulders 66 and 68. The wires45 and 48 comprising the cable 2| are inserted between the elements forming each prong. These elements of construction are the same as those describedv and illustrated with reference to Figs. 3 and 6.

Extending down from the washer 26, which separates the compartment 30 from the compartment 32, I provide the outer semi-circular contact H8, which is internally connected with one filament in the lamp, for example the 50watt filament and internally of the lamp to-the metallic base wall thereof which contacts prong 42 and 44 when the lamp is threadedly inserted in the skirt I'4.

0n the wall 28 at the center thereof is provided another-circular contact I which is con nected to one side of the other filament, for example the 100 watt filament, and internally to the metallic base wall of the lamp that contacts the prong 42 and 44. v

Mounted in the switch member Iprovide the carrying plate I22, formed of a non-conducting material on which is riveted the switch support I24 in which the switch shaft I26 is journaled.

Mounted on the other side of the plate I22, I provide the corresponding and recessed member I28 in which the four-leafed switch contact memher I 30 may be rotated by the shaft I28. Ex

tending from one side of the recessed member I28, I provide the terminal I which is mounted on the resilient bent over switch contact member I35.

Extending up from the center of the recessed member I28, I provide the terminal I38 which is secured to the resilient bent over switch contact I40 and at the other side of the recessed member I provide the terminal I42 which is secured to the resilient bent over switch contact I45.

The other switch terminals are provided on three of the leaves of the four-leafed member throughthe lamp. The next rotation in the directionoi' the arrow brings the contact I58 into engagement with the contact I" to close the switch. Since'this brings the leaf I4. into contact with the switch terminal I40 current through one of the filaments is-opened but since the contact I" engages the terminal I44 a circuit is completed through the other filament. Rotation to the next position brings the leaf I40 into engagement with the terminal I 44 to open the circult through'this other filament and since the "contacts I" and land contacts I54 and I30 are in engagement, the circuit through the first filament is concurrently closed. Further rotation to the next position'will close the circuits through both filaments as heretofore described.

It will thus-be seen that .Ihave provided a socket having a three-way switch which can be readily assembled without therequirement of comparatively skilled labor and which has a minimum of fastening elements as distinguished from sockets of the prior art in'which three-way lamps were utilized.

While I have, described specific details illustrating embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that other modifications will now occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim: 1. In an electrical socket for the threaded re ception therein of a lamp, a sleeve, 9. cap member detachably mounted on the sleeve, a pair of spaced prongs. extending from the cap and received in the sleeve upon mounting the cap thereon, a resilient catch member projecting from each prong, a shoulder for each prong arranged in the sleeve to engage a catch upon mounting the cap on the sleeve, the walls of said sleeve engaging the resilient catch member to urge the ,catch member away therefrom upon mounting the cap on the sleeve whereby the catch member is passed beyond the shoulder for said prong to be engaged thereby to engage it and prevent removal of the sleeve from the cap and switch means in the sleeve for electrically connecting the prongs to a lamp received in the socket.

2. In an electrical socket, a sleeve, a cap member detachably mounted on the sleeve, a pair of spaced prongs extending from the cap and received in the sleeve upon mounting the cap member thereon, a resilient member projecting from each prong. a shoulder for each prong arranged in the sleeve to engage a resilient member upon mounting the cap on the sleeve whereby the catch member is passed beyond the shoulder for said prong to be engaged thereby, the walls of said sleeve engaging the resilient members to urge the members away therefrom upon mounting the cap on the sleeveto engage it and prevent removal of the cap from the sleeve, 9. wall dividing the said sleeve into two compartments and switch means cooperating with one of the prongs and arranged in one of the compartments, said wall having an opening under a resilient member and the shoulder.

3. In an electrical socket, a threaded sleeve, a cap mounted thereon, a pair of spaced prongs,

and a switch means comprising a push pull memher, a resilient contact member normally out of, engagement with one of, the prongs, an element on the push pull member for moving the resilient contact member against the said prong upon moving the push pull member into the socket, a pair of spaced notches on the push pull member and a spring means for entering one of the notches upon moving the push pull member in the socket and for entering the other notch upon moving the push-pull member out of the socket.

4. In an electric socket comprising a sleeve and a cap mounted thereon and a pair of spaced prongs received in the sleeve, a switch means comprising a member movable inwardly and out-- wardly of the socket, a resilient contact member adjacent one of the prongs and normally out of engagement therewith, an element on the movable member i'or moving the contact member against the adjacent prong upon moving the movable member inwardly of the socket and a spring cess at one end thereof and an opening extend-' ing from the recess to the top thereof for receiving therein two wires, a prong extending from the cap for securing therein one of the wires,

a resilient catch extending from the prong, a second prong spaced from the first prong and extending from the cap for securing thereto theother wire, said prong having a second resilientprongs in the interior of the sleeve upon inserting the sleeve in the cap in the recess therein, walls of said sleeve at the said openings being undercut to provide shoulders extending away from the openings, the walls on the interior of the sleeve moving the resilient catches inwardly aaway therefrom upon insertion of the sleeve in the cap whereby'the prongs are received in the openings said shoulders passed by the resilient catches to thereby release the catches by the walls of the sleeve to pass under the shoulders, said shoulders cooperating with the catches to prevent removal of the sleeve from the cap.

HERBERT LAGIN.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the I file of this patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Otterbury'--. May 19, 1942 

